Fair question, and I imagine it holds a different answer, for different folks.
If you look over at the HFUnderground Wiki you’ll see an expansive array of cool shows and stations. Eccentricity is the norm, but pure creativity is the kernel of what makes Pirate Radio awesome.
Sure, it could mimic FM radio (or the DJ-driven FM radio we wish it still was….) but it’s more than that.
It’s the truly creative historical broadcasts, like the mysterious “Hello Itasca” Anniversary station that plays on the anniversary eve of Amelia Earhardt’s disappearance (usually via UTC/GMT, it is already the official anniversary); usually accompanied by Earhardt-era music, and new reports….elsewhere, a different, one-song tribute station, “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, consistently appears every year on the pirate bands, on November 10th.
Other strange broadcasts:the surreal “Germany Calling,” a retrospective on war-era propaganda, and an informational eQSL.
Some ops are clearly having fun with their themes, and their fun, is your fun! Captain Morgan and Radio Ronin round off a few of my steady favorites in the scene. Their eclectic music tastes and quality shows are always worth looking forward to.
Other stations of characteristic whimsy include Voice of KAOS (I was a child fan of “Get Smart”, love this station!), and nuclear-powered thrill of Radio Mushroom’s lovely and ominous eQSL. You just never know what you’ll hear, and that in itself is the half the fun.
I’ve always been into esoteric things, from spynumbers to milcomms, to HAARP LWA Moon Bounce Tests. rest assured, there’s lots of fun out on the bands and most of it isn’t always in the “normal” category. Pirate Radio is no different!
With some luck and great condx, I’ve even scored very cool Euro Pirates like Black Bandit Radio , a rare treat on my very humble antenna run.
There are but a few reminders of the great aspects to pirate radio, and the intrigue and creativity the ops bring to the ionosphere – I just wanted to highlight the immense positivity of the scene, I appreciate all the effort these ops put in to each and every show.
Thank you all for do, and for what you mean to dxer’s around the world.